A Light in the Darkness
by Gracie O'Malley
Summary: Shortly after leaving a musical world, the Doctor and Sadie find themselves in a place where the only light in the darkness comes from a very strange and endangered source. Set after the events of 'The Hills are Alive'. COMPLETE!
1. Entering the Darkness

**A Light in the Darkness  
Entering the Darkness**

Sadie collapsed into one of the decrepit looking chairs just inside the TARDIS. A musical world could take a lot out of a person, after all. The Doctor headed straight for the console, already preparing for the next destination.

"I don't know about you, but I definitely don't want to try that 'random' thing again for awhile," Sadie stated, crossing her arms over her chest. The Doctor nodded his agreement, still fiddling with the various switches, buttons and levers that littered the console. "So…where are we going now?" The Doctor looked up.

"How'd you like to go to Fibarous? Everything there is composed of this yarn-like material. All the animals look like those amigurumi things that people make-"  
"I'd rather not go anywhere that has toy-like beings on it for awhile, thanks…"

"Good point." The Doctor thought again. "How about Tsweita? Known around the universe for their spectacular sweets."  
"That sounds fantastic!" Sadie grinned. She loved sweets of all kinds, and the chance to try some from another world was incredibly tempting.

"Tsweita it is then!" The Doctor pulled a lever, and the TARDIS jerked into action. The ride was fairly smooth, as far as journeys in the TARDIS go, for a moment or two, but then it was almost like the ship shuddered.

"What was that?" Sadie asked, clinging tightly to the chair she was still in, trying to avoid falling to the floor at all costs.

"I don't know," the Doctor answered, peering into a screen. "Everything seems to be okay, though." The TARDIS came to a halt, and the Doctor moved around to check another screen. "I've no idea what that was…"

"But we landed, so that's good, right?" Sadie asked. The Doctor was frowning.

"We landed, but not in the right place."

"So where are we then?"

"No idea, but let's go find out!" The Doctor grabbed his coat from where he'd thrown it as he ran towards the door. Sadie jumped down from her chair and went after him. Once outside, both of them froze.

"Its…dark," Sadie breathed. And indeed, it was. Pitch-black, to be more exact. Sadie couldn't see anything at all. That was a little unnerving. She felt around in the darkness. "Doctor?" Somehow, his hand found hers and held it tightly. That made her feel better immediately. However, a voice broke through the blackness that sent a chill down her spine.

"Don't move, either of you," the gruff voice ordered. Sadie became keenly aware of an object that was just inches from her face. She didn't know what it was, and she really didn't want to find out, either. She tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand.

"Sadie, don't move," The Doctor said quietly.

"Not planning to."

"Who are you?" the voice demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm the Doctor, and the girl standing next to me that you probably can't see is Sadie. We were on our way to Tsweita, but it seems we went off-course a bit. Where are we, exactly?"

"Mortuum."

"Gethin, what is going on here?" a second voice, a female one, asked.

"It isn't safe for you here, you know that," Gethin replied.

"I'll be the judge of that. Now answer me."

"Two strangers. The Doctor and Sadie, they're called."

"Interesting," the voice said. "They'll come with us. Let's go."

"Hold on a minute," The Doctor began to protest, but he was stopped.

"No arguments. She has spoken, and so it will be done," Gethin stated. "Now move."

--**  
Notes: So, here we are again! I'm thinking this one will be a bit different than the first, since I have a more definite plan of where it's heading. I hope you enjoy it just as much as the first, though! Oh, and don't forget, reviewing gives you cool points! :) **


	2. New Faces

**New Faces**

The Doctor and Sadie trudged along through the darkness, guided along the way by surprisingly gentle prodding from a blunt object. The path that Sadie assumed they were on was rough and strewn with what she guessed were rocks. She stumbled quite a bit on the path, but had managed to keep herself upright, with a little help from the Doctor, of course. For the most part, everyone was silent as they walked, but there were snippets of whispered conversations as well. There were whispers from voices that the Doctor and Sadie didn't recognize, but Gethin and the female voice they had heard before exchanged heated whispers more than a few times. To keep herself occupied, Sadie began to keep count of the arguments. She'd gotten up to twelve when she heard the Doctor speak softly.

"I wish I could make out what they're saying up there. Can you make it out?"

"No, it's too quiet," Sadie replied. "Doctor, why is it so dark here?"

"I don't know."

"Why didn't you use your screwdriver to make a light?"  
"I tried, Sadie. It was too dark, even for it."

"Oh. So what do you think they're going to do with us?"

"I don't know that either."

"That's fantastic," Sadie sighed.

"Hey!" The Doctor protested. "I haven't gotten you into trouble yet, have I? You really need to just trust me."

"You haven't gotten me into trouble? What about when we went to Calena? Or how about Flynt?"

"Oh come on, you were never in any danger in any of those places," The Doctor replied.

"I was in plenty of danger when I first met you," Sadie stated matter-of-factly. There was silence for a moment.

"Okay, I'll give you that one." Sadie felt marginally proud that she had bested the Doctor in that small way. The feeling didn't last though, since she stumbled yet again over something in the pathway. She fell this time onto the rough terrain, scraping the palms of her hands on the ground. She first realized how much it hurt, but then she noticed how cold the ground was. The Doctor found her arm in the darkness and helped her up. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just scraped a little," she replied, rubbing her injured hands together in an attempt to get the gritty feeling off them. The Doctor took hold of her arm again and linked it with his, as they resumed walking. "What's that for?"

"To keep you from hurting yourself again."

"Oh. Thanks." The two fell silent again, as Gethin and the female voice started up their thirteenth argument.

A good amount of walking (and a few more stumbles from Sadie) later, Gethin's voice broke through the silence.

"We're here. Everyone halt!"

The Doctor and Sadie both stopped where they were. Sadie pulled her arm away from the Doctor and stretched. She didn't know how long they had been walking, but it felt like hours. Her feet ached. She hadn't given much thought to them until now. Why hadn't they hurt while she was walking, she wondered. But there was no time to worry about the condition of her feet. She was keen to find out what was going on, and if she knew anything about the Doctor, he was feeling the same.

"Excuse me, people of the dark," The Doctor spoke up. "I'd really like an explanation of why you dragged us away at sharp-thingy point into the dark. I wouldn't mind knowing who you are, as well."

"Of course," the female voice answered, making Sadie jump since it was in such close proximity to them. There was a slight rustling noise, and then a pale green light illuminated their surroundings. After a few seconds, Sadie's eyes adjusted to the light, and she saw a group of about ten people standing around them. They were all standing on a wide path, littered with rocks and tree limbs and roots that came from the tall trees on either side. Sadie looked closer at the girl who was in front of them. She was small, with an extremely large hooded cloak covering most of her. The hem fell completely to the ground, and the girl had the hood pulled up over her face. The front of the cloak was opened ever so slightly, and Sadie realized after a minute that the light seemed to be coming from inside the cloak.

"I apologize, Doctor and Sadie. Where we found you was unsafe, so we had to move as quickly as possible. We're still in danger, but not as much now. I'm sure you'll understand if I keep myself covered, for safety's sake."

"Why are you in danger?" The Doctor asked. "Who are you?"

"I am Princess Ilona," the girl answered. "And I cannot tell you why I'm in danger. The more you know, the more danger you are in. You wouldn't be safe."

"But I could help you," he started. "If you would just-"

"Stop!" Gethin interrupted, moving forward into the light. He was tall, dressed in what had once been a crisp military-esque suit. He was obviously someone important, and definitely someone that Sadie would not want to cross. He wore a bitter expression as he continued. "If the Princess says she cannot explain, then you will accept that. Understood?"

"No, it is not understood," The Doctor replied. He opened his mouth to say something else, but the Princess spoke again.

"Please. Please don't," she said softly. "I don't like fighting. Gethin, this Doctor means well. He just doesn't understand." She sighed. "Maybe it would be better to explain…"

"You know what that can do," Gethin warned.

"I know. But he says he can help…"

"I can help," The Doctor answered quickly. "Believe me. I can help." The Princess' cloak began to move slightly. The opening in the front became wider, spilling more light from within as the Princess freed her arms. She reached up carefully and slid the hood back from her face, the light growing even brighter. She looked young, Sadie thought, with wide, hopeful eyes.

"I hope you can."


	3. Introductions and Interruptions

**Introductions and Interruptions**

"Are you sure you can trust these two strangers, Princess?" Gethin asked, glancing over at the Doctor and Sadie. He had pulled the Princess away from the small group to talk to her privately. The Doctor and his companion were standing a short distance away, watching the exchange.

"He says he can help, Gethin," Princess Ilona replied. "We're quickly running out of options. I say we take this chance. I don't see how things could possibly get any worse for us. Besides, I'm a good judge of people, you know that. I believe we can trust these people." Gethin sighed. He knew she was right, but he also knew how much danger could come as a result of this action. He looked down at the Princess, who was watching him anxiously. She had never been wrong before, but there was always a first time.

"I swore to protect you at all costs, Princess. That's the only reason I'm questioning this. I just want to be sure you know the implications of your decisions." The Princess looked away, but his next words brought her gaze back to him. "But - ultimately, it's your decision, and whatever you decide, I'll stand by you." The Princess smiled, her glow growing even brighter. She wrapped her arms around Gethin's waist, which was the only thing she could easily reach, and hugged him tightly.

"I knew I could count on you, Gethin." The two made their way back to the others. The Doctor stepped forward.

"Well?"

"Well," The Princess began. "This is going to take some time, so I suggest we sit down, and perhaps something to eat. We have been travelling a long time, and I think everyone could use a bit of rest. Does this sound agreeable to you, Doctor?"

"No complaints from me."  
"Good. Shyam, Keaira, see what you can do about finding some food for everyone, please?" The Princess looked around, hoping to find something to sit on, but found nothing. "Well, I guess the ground is as good as anything, even though it's a bit cold!" she said, carefully arranging her cloak and settling herself on the path. The Doctor and Sadie followed suit, as did Gethin and the others who were not busy rummaging for food. Princess Ilona waited until everyone had been given something to eat before addressing the Doctor. "Now, Doctor. You wanted to know more about me and why I'm in danger, correct?"

"Correct," replied the Doctor, who was sitting cross-legged between the Princess and Sadie. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, eager to hear the story. The Princess was silent for a moment, choosing her words carefully before she began.

"My people, the Lumiere, came to this planet many years ago. It was a dark place, much like it is now. We made friends with the people who lived here already, and because we brought them light, they made us into royalty. We lived here peacefully up until my parents' time. My father, King Zohar, made what he thought would be a beneficial deal with some foreign ambassadors. But he didn't realize that they had other plans. They wanted to turn Mortuum into a breeding location. When the true intent was discovered, it was too late. Our planet was invaded and overrun. If anyone resisted, they were killed." Princess Ilona paused, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "My father led the first resistance attack. Shortly after his body was found, my mother…she died as well…" The Princess trailed off, the green light surrounding her dimming slightly. Sadie sniffled a little, scrubbing at the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

"There were more attempts to resist," Gethin spoke up. "All lead by members of the Royal family. And one by one..."

"All were killed. Which would explain why the planet is so dark. No Royals to provide light. All except for you, Princess," The Doctor finished, nodding slightly as he began to understand the situation. "But who, or what, exactly were they breeding?"

"Wait," The Princess said, sitting extremely still. Everyone fell silent, all watching her carefully. She shivered, and then spoke again. "They've found us."

"We're moving now!" Gethin declared, leaping to his feet. Before anyone could figure out exactly what was going on, Princess Ilona had covered herself with her cloak, and everything was once again dark. Sadie grabbed hold of the Doctor's hand, terrified that she might end up left behind in the dark. Within a minute of the Princess' warning, everyone was on the move.

"So much for finding out the rest of the story, eh?" Sadie whispered to the Doctor.

"Maybe. I have my suspicions of what's going on. Best not to say just now, though," he replied.

"Quiet, you two," Gethin hissed.

**--  
Notes: I was discussing Doctor Who with my little brother recently (I'm THAT desperate to talk about it, ha!)…he refers to it as "that demon show". He mentioned that he had seen an episode once. When I asked him what happened in the episode, he replied "it was something to do with aliens." No kidding, genius! **


	4. Follow the Light

**Follow the Light**

The group had trudged along in silence for awhile, the only noises being the sounds of footsteps on the path. Eventually, Gethin had given the all-clear, and talking was allowed. Sadie didn't know how the Doctor had managed to keep himself quiet for so long, since he was usually babbling incessantly, but he'd done it. Ever since Gethin had declared it safe for conversation, he'd been collecting information from the other members of the group. He was near the back now, Sadie guessed, talking to whoever it was that was back there. Sadie was walking by herself, focusing on keeping herself from stumbling. At least if she was concentrating, she wasn't thinking about what was out in the darkness. She was so focused on her footsteps, she didn't realize she had picked up speed, and had reached the front of the group, until she walked right into the back of Gethin.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean to, I swear!" Gethin said nothing, but she heard Princess Ilona giggle slightly.

"It's alright, Sadie. It's not exactly like you can see where you're going."

"Yeah," Sadie agreed. "I assume it's you that's leading us, rght?"

"Right," The Princess replied.

"So, how are you seeing which way to go?"

"Night vision."

"Well that's handy!"

"Most definitely." The Princess slowed her pace so she was walking alongside Sadie. "I was hoping to talk to you more when we stopped for a rest, but I suppose now is just as good. I know you and the Doctor aren't of my world, so I'm curious as to what world you're from."

"The Doctor and I aren't even from the same world. I'm a human, from Earth. Do you know it?"

"Earth? Which one?"

"What do you mean, which one? There's only one Earth that I know of," Sadie answered, slightly puzzled. The Princess made a slight 'hmm' sound.

"You came further than I thought then," she said. "You're from one of the original Earth planets. Completely clueless about the other civilizations in the universe. There are books written about it all. I've read a few of them."

"Wow. That's…well, it's a little weird," Sadie admitted, chuckling a little. "What was Mortuum like, before the invasions?"

"It was absolutely beautiful. Huge leafy trees that offered just the right amount of shade, lush green fields, bright flowers, the weather was always perfect…it was a paradise. The suns were always shining, except for when it was time to sleep, and then they would dim. The first King of this planet arranged those suns. They were designed so that the Royal lights would be masked at all times. Then, when we were invaded, my father cloaked the world in darkness." The Princess sighed sadly. The two walked in silence for a few minutes, then Sadie spoke.

"Princess, you weren't able to tell us before what was being bred on Mortuum. I'd really like to know what it is we're on the run from, at least, if you don't mind…"

"Of course," The Princess replied. "They're called Lokeens. You have them on Earth, only a different variety."

"What? Lokeens are on Earth? No way."

"Yes. Have you ever been sitting alone, at night, and suddenly you get the feeling that someone, or something, is watching you?"

"Yeah, I have." Sadie swallowed hard. She'd had that feeling more than once.

"That's how you know that a Lokeen is there. You can't see them, you can't hear them, you can only feel them. They're attracted to light."

"Of course!" Sadie exclaimed. "I always got that feeling when I stayed up late to watch television, or mess around on my computer! The room was always dark, but the light from the screens must have attracted them. But why didn't they ever attack, or anything?"

"I told you, it's a different variety on Earth. Earth is used to breed pet Lokeens. Mortuum was designated as a soldier-breeding planet. Which is why it's so dangerous."

"So what are you going to do? Can you stop the Lokeens?" Sadie asked.

"I'm not sure if they can be stopped," Princess Ilona replied. "But we're going to try."

* * *

**Notes: So, I'm not impressed at all with the Doctor Who finale. What a let down. Anywho, I hope you're enjoying this story! Review and let me know what you think! :) **

**Oh! I found a pattern today for a crocheted Doctor Who doll. I'm so psyched to make one!! Yeah, I'm a dweeb, haha!**


	5. Another One Bites the Dust

**Another One Bites the Dust**

Sadie had grown thoroughly tired of walking by the time they stopped again. Strangely enough, she thought that all the walking was much worse than running. At least running got you to your destination quicker, if nothing else. The Doctor didn't seem to be tired at all. He was still chatting away to various members of the party, strolling along like they were heading for a picnic. A moment after the group had stopped moving, a dim green light flooded the area, causing Sadie and everyone else to blink repeatedly until their eyes grew accustomed to it. The Princess had pulled her hood back just far enough to let a tiny bit of light show. It was barely enough light to see much of anything, but it was enough.

"We're still in danger, but this is safe enough for us to stop for a rest," The Princess said, settling herself on a fallen tree trunk. Gethin sat on one side of her, and the Doctor moved to sit on the other side. Sadie plopped down on the dirt next to the Doctor. After everyone was seated, Keaira passed around some strange looking bread to everyone from a bag she wore around her waist. Sadie took a small bite from the corner of her piece, and found it had a wonderful garlic type of flavor. She chewed it contentedly, glad to finally be resting.

"Princess Ilona," The Doctor said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. He hadn't taken any bread as it had been passed around. "I know what you're up against, with the Lokeens. They're nearly impossible to catch, since the only way of knowing where they are is by feeling, and you know as well as I do that if a Lokeen is close enough for you to feel it, it's close enough to kill you. You understand that there's really a slim chance, at best, of stopping them, don't you?"

"A slim chance is better than no chance, Doctor," Princess Ilona replied. "I can't bear to see this continue here...all the destruction and murder. I have to at least try to stop them." She paused briefly and then continued in a slightly shaky voice. "You said before, when we first met, that you could help us. What you've said…are you trying to say that you really can't help us at all?"

"I'll help you," The Doctor assured her. "Don't worry about that. I just wanted to be sure you knew how unlikely this situation is."

"I know," Princess Ilona replied sadly. "But as I see it, I have no other choice." There was silence then, but Sadie was sure she heard a tiny sniffling coming from inside the Princess' cloak. Gethin cleared his throat loudly after a moment, and turned to the Doctor.

"We're heading south, towards an abandoned garrison. It was a closely guarded secret when it was in use, and it hasn't been used for many years, so I know it's the safest place for us right now. We should be there within an hour or two. So, Doctor that gives you that much time to come up with some sort of plan to help us, like you say you can." The Doctor's face darkened. Sadie could tell he wasn't very happy with Gethin's remarks.

"I'll help you," he said. "But I won't be ordered around." Gethin chuckled.

"I'm the one in charge here," he snarled, rising to his feet, glaring down at the Doctor. "So you'll do as you're told." The Doctor was on his feet in an instant. He'd gone from not-too-happy to angry in record time.

"Stop it! Both of you!" The Princess ordered, jumping up between them, throwing her arms out in an attempt to keep them apart. "I won't have you fighting!" When she was satisfied that neither of them were going to move or say anything more, she dropped her arms and turned to Gethin. "I wish to talk to you, Gethin. Alone. Come with me." She headed away from the group, the dim light moving with her. Gethin followed obediently, throwing one last glare over his shoulder at the Doctor as he did.

The group sat in the darkness, listening to Gethin and the Princess exchange what sounded like heated words in the distance. Sadie sat nervously chewing on her thumbnail, trying to make out what they were saying. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the Doctor's voice.

"Don't do that, Sadie."

"Do what?" she asked innocently, moving her hand away from her mouth quickly.

"Biting your nails. I know you're doing it again."  
"Sorry."

The group was relatively silent again, until Sadie became uncomfortably aware that someone was crying. She could hear muffled sobs coming from someone sitting near her. She couldn't determine who it was in the dark. She slid closer to the sound, stopping when it was loudest, and when she could feel the person next to her shaking.

"Hey now, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" she asked softly, wrapping an arm around the person's shoulders.

"'m s-scared," the person, a female, choked out. Sadie slid closer.

"It's okay to be scared. We're all scared. But we're going to be okay, I promise," she soothed. Her words didn't have the desired effect, and the girl cried harder.

"No we're not!" she wailed. "We're all going to die, I just know it!"

"You're not going to die, Tynan, I promise you that," The Doctor said, his voice coming from the other side of the girl. Tynan didn't answer. The light came flooding back as the Princess returned, allowing them to see once again. The Doctor was kneeling on the opposite side of Tynan, resting a hand on her shoulder. Others were gathered around as well.

"Is there a problem here?" she asked, kneeling in front of the still crying girl. "Tynan?"

"We're going to die, Princess," Tynan said, despair dripping from her voice. "There's no hope for us."

"There's always hope, Tynan," Princess Ilona began, but Tynan stopped her.

"No! Don't you understand? Nearly everyone we know has died already. We're the only ones left, and they're coming for us! It's been said there's only a slim chance of the Lokeens being stopped… it's useless, Princess, completely useless!" Tynan shrugged off Sadie and the Doctor and stood up. "Why are we even trying?" she shouted. "We're only prolonging the inevitable!"

"Tynan, please.." the Princess pleaded, standing as well. She was abruptly stopped yet again when Tynan grabbed hold of the cloak covering the Princess and jerked it off. Instantly, it became as bright as daylight. Sadie shielded her eyes with her hands, as did many of the others.

"Now! Now they'll come, and it'll be over," Tynan declared. "I felt them, they were already coming anyway. Now it'll all be over…"

The Doctor moved swiftly, grabbing the cloak and throwing it back over the Princess' head, effectively removing most of the light. The Princess and the Doctor scrambled to arrange it so it would block out the rest of the light. Sadie was moving to help when she heard a blood-curdling scream, and turned towards it. Tynan had wandered away from the group, and she had been the one to scream. The light was almost gone, but it was still enough for Sadie to see what happened next.

There was another scream, and then Sadie heard the most horrible noise imaginable, the sound of ripping, tearing flesh. Tynan's now mangled, skinless body fell to the dirt with a thud, as the darkness enveloped them all once again. Sadie felt positively sick at what she had just seen.

Before she could scream, cry, or throw up, the Doctor grabbed hold of her hand and began pulling her along. She had somehow missed the command to run in the madness.

"Doctor…the Lokeens…" she panted after a moment, as they ran blindly through the dark.

"What about them?"

"On Earth, Lokeens only make your skin crawl…when they do that…are they..?"

"Yes. They're trying to figure out how they can remove it."


	6. Zap!

**Zap!**

"Doctor?"

"What is it Sadie?"

"Why do Lokeens remove your skin? Why don't they, like, eat you all at once or something?"

"Skins are full of nutrients. It's more beneficial to them to only eat the skins."

"That's disgusting!" Sadie wrinkled her nose. "How much further til we get wherever it is we're going?"

"About ten minutes less than the last time you asked," The Doctor replied. "Honestly, you have to be one of the most impatient people I have ever met, and let me tell you, I've met quite a few people."

"I can't help it I have a short attention span!" Sadie declared. "Actually, that reminds me of a horrible but really funny joke…how many-"

"Don't." Sadie sighed.

"You're no fun."

The small group reached the garrison about an hour after Tynan had been taken from them. Gethin stood watch at the door, making sure everyone was safely inside before he shut and bolted the heavy iron door. Sadie thought it was even darker inside the garrison than it was outside.

"Is it safe now, Gethin?" Princess Ilona asked.

"Not yet," Gethin replied. When he spoke again, his voice came from a different location. "Let me check to be sure everything is still sealed." The group heard him rapping against the metal walls all around them. Finally, he spoke again. "Now it's safe."

"Good," the Princess exclaimed, throwing the hood back from her head. "This thing is heavy and very hot." She shrugged the rest of the cloak off from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. She seemed to be debating kicking it for a moment, but refrained. Once the cloak was removed, light flooded the room. Sadie and the Doctor could finally get their first clear look at the Princess. She had light brown hair that hung in waves over her shoulders, and big blue eyes. She wore a simple, soft looking dress that was the same shade as her eyes. She was beautiful, Sadie thought, exactly as she'd always imagined a princess. "This garrison is sealed off entirely from the outside. The Lokeens cannot get in. We can't stay here forever, but we can stay long enough to devise a plan," Princess Ilona explained. She then turned to the Doctor, who was looking around the room with great interest. "Doctor, you've promised to help us. Is there anything you can do?"

"This place is fantastic! Brilliant craftsmanship on these walls, Princess, absolutely brilliant!" the Doctor exclaimed, running his hand along one of the cold iron walls.

"She asked you a question, Doctor," Gethin sneered.

"Gethin, stop it," Princess Ilona ordered. The Doctor stuffed his hands into his pockets and strolled back to the group.

"Well, like I said, there aren't many ways to stop Lokeens. It's not impossible, mind, but it's highly unlikely…" he said. "I've only known it to happen once or twice."

"So you don't have a plan at all?" Princess Ilona looked worried.

"No, I don't. Not yet anyway." Sadie was fairly shocked. She'd never known the Doctor to be without at least a partial plan. She didn't quite know what to think about the situation. Gethin, however, was absolutely furious. He was giving the Doctor a look of seething anger.

"What good is it to promise to help when you can't even think of a plan?" he shouted. "You're completely useless!"

"Now just hold on a minute…" The Doctor began. The Princess sighed.

"Please don't start again," she pleaded. "You two are incorrigible, honestly!" She tried to keep the two apart, but it was clear she was having no effect on them. Suddenly, inspiration hit Sadie with an almost audible ting-ing sound, and she ran between Gethin and the Doctor.

"Wait! Don't kill each other! I have an idea!" Immediately, all eyes were on her. "Okay…that's weird. Anyway, these Lokeens…they're attracted to light, like moths and insects and stuff, right Princess?" Princess Ilona nodded. "So why can't you build something to attract them and catch them? Sort of like a big bug zapper?" The Doctor's face broke into a huge grin.

"Sadie Mitchell, you are brilliant!"


	7. Shake Rattle and Roll

**Shake Rattle and Roll**

"And just how do you plan to turn this place into a bug zapper?" Sadie asked, watching as the Doctor flew around the room, picking up little bits and bobs of trappings, wires and the like as he went.

"Oh that won't be hard at all. Zappers are fairly primitive, for the most part," he said, tucking a square piece of metal into his pocket. "Now, Princess, you said there was a room up above that has lots of windows?"

"Yes," Princess Ilona answered. "The room was built for observation purposes. It, like the rest of this garrison, is completely sealed off from the outside. I think it'll be perfect for what you have in mind."

"It's just straight up from here?"  
"Yes. Go through that door and you'll find the staircase."

"Good. Sadie, you come with me," the Doctor said, heading for the door that the Princess had pointed out. Sadie followed, jogging to keep up with the Doctor's pace. The two of them headed up what, to Sadie, seemed like an endless flight of stairs. There was only one door at the top. The hinges were horribly rusted, and Sadie thought for a moment the door wouldn't open, but it did. She followed the Doctor inside. The Princess had been wrong about the room having lots of windows. The walls of the room were made entirely out of glass, so it was more of just one big window, rather than lots of smaller ones. The Doctor had left the doors behind them open, so light from the Princess had followed them. It wasn't as bright, but it was enough.

"Is it safe?" Sadie asked, stepping back towards the door. She could tell they were high up, and there was no chance of her coming near those windows if the glass wasn't sound.

"Completely safe," The Doctor replied, tapping his knuckles against the glass. "This glass is as thick as a wall."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Now come here and hold this for me."

"Okay then." Sadie stepped further inside the room and went over to the Doctor, taking the pieces of metal he was holding out to her. For several minutes, the room was relatively quiet, except for the Doctor's mutterings as he worked. Every so often he would ask Sadie to hand him some particular piece of machinery, metal or wiring, which she did.

Some time passed during which the Doctor didn't ask for anything, so Sadie's gaze wandered around the room. It really was an amazing place, and she figured the view would have been amazing, if there had been more light. But it seemed a little out of place, given the type of building they were in.

"Doctor, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, what is it?" The Doctor was using his sonic screwdriver to fuse some wires, and didn't look up.

"Gethin and the Princess said this was a garrison, so it's like a fortress. Fortresses are used in battles, and so one would assume that if you're in battle you're in danger. So why have a room like this where your enemy can get a clear view and line of fire at you?" The Doctor paused for a minute.

"I honestly have no idea," he said, looking up for a moment before turning back to the wires. "But the glass is thick enough that I doubt anything could get through."

"How much longer til the zapper's done?" The Doctor fiddled a bit more with a few of the wires, causing sparks to fly. Sadie heard a humming noise, and noticed blue streaks were now running along the glass.

"It's done. Don't touch the glass. It's electrified." The Doctor turned to Sadie. "Now, let's go get the Princess."

"Why do we need the Princess?" Sadie called, running after the Doctor.

"All zappers have a light in them Sadie, surely you know that!" The two of them burst into the room where everyone else had stayed a moment later.

"Well?" Gethin asked, arms folded over his chest.

"Well, it's finished, except for one key part," the Doctor replied. "Princess Ilona, the Lokeens are attracted to light, you know that. So in order for this to work, we need light. Your light."

"Okay. What do you want me to do?" The Princess asked calmly. Gethin stepped in front of her.

"Hold on a minute! You will not put her in danger!"

"I'm already in danger, Gethin," Princess Ilona replied. "I can't see how this is more dangerous. Besides, the Doctor won't be putting me into danger. It's my choice, so if anyone is to be blamed, it's me." And with that, she headed for the door, leaving Gethin standing where he was. The Doctor and Sadie followed her up the stairs into the now electrified observation room.

"What do I do now, Doctor?" she asked. The Doctor shrugged.

"Being in here is enough to attract them. Just don't touch anything."

"That's it?"

"Bit anti-climatic, I'll admit, but yes, that's it." Just then, something hit against the glass, thudding loudly. The room quivered as the electrical pulse increased for a moment, then faded away.

"What was that?!" Sadie exclaimed, moving closer to the Doctor, who was unmoved by the event.

"That was a Lokeen," The Doctor replied. "Get used to it, because I'm sure there will be a lot more coming."

"How many do you think there are, Doctor?"

"Hard to say."

"Then how will we know when they're all gone?"

"You won't," Gethin's voice broke in. He was standing in the doorway. "You may kill off some of them, but more will come."

"How do you know, Gethin?" Princess Ilona asked. Gethin strolled into the room, smirking.

"Because I can have it arranged, just like I did before, for the ones already here." The Princess' eyes widened.

"You…it was you that brought them here?" she asked. "How could you?"

"When the ambassadors came, they offered me a deal I couldn't refuse," Gethin explained. "It's as simple as that. I took the deal and they brought in the Lokeens."

"But wait," Sadie spoke up. "What are you getting out of this? You're just as likely to be attacked by a Lokeen as anyone else!"

"Wrong," Gethin answered. "The Lokeens have been trained to avoid me." The Doctor shook his head.

"Lokeens can't be trained, Gethin. You were lied to." Gethin snorted.

"I'm still here, aren't I?"

"Only because I helped you!" Princess Ilona exclaimed, trembling slightly. "I helped you to stay alive because I trusted you, Gethin. How could you do this to me? Not only to me, but my family…"

"Your family has been taking advantage of me for years, Princess," Gethin sneered. "They got what they deserved. You'd have gotten what you deserve too, if this Doctor character hadn't shown up and gotten involved. It's such a shame too. If you hadn't insisted they come along they might have had a chance to escape. But now they'll just be food for the Lokeens, just like you." Gethin pulled a gun from inside his coat, aimed for the glass, and pulled the trigger.

"No, don't!" The Doctor dove for Gethin's arm, trying to stop him, but it was too late. The shot ricocheted off the glass and hit Gethin, killing him instantly.

"I trusted him with my life," Princess Ilona said quietly, moving closer. "Why did he do this? How could he?" The Doctor moved to stand beside the Princess, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Princess. Gethin was a greedy man, and greed can be a powerful motivator."

"The good thing is that now you know," Sadie said quietly. "At least you know how this all happened, and it won't happen again now that he's dead." The Princess nodded slowly.

"I suppose you're right."

* * *

**Notes: Only one more chapter to this one, I think. Hooray!**


	8. See You Later Alligator

**See You Later Alligator**

"Thank you again, Doctor, for all you've done for us." The Doctor, the Princess, Sadie, and a fairly sizeable group of Mortuumian people were standing around the TARDIS. Once the Lokeens had all been eliminated, Princess Ilona had lifted the cloak of darkness that had shrouded the planet, and Mortuum seemed to be returning to normal. There had been pockets of survivors tucked away in all corners of the planet, away from the Lokeens, so while the population had been diminished, it was not by any means gone. The flora and fauna were thriving again, as well. It was quite a beautiful planet, when you could actually see it, Sadie thought.

"You are always welcome on Mortuum, and we hope you'll come to visit us again," Princess Ilona had been speaking to the Doctor, but she caught sight of Sadie and continued. "You as well, Sadie!"

"Oh, I feel sure we'll come back here," the Doctor replied. "Not sure when, but at some point. It's such a gorgeous place…"

"Definitely," Sadie agreed. "On both, y'know, it being beautiful and all, because it really, really is, and coming back here, because I'd really like to someday…" she coughed, realizing she'd been babbling slightly. There was a tiny bit of awkward-feeling silence, as no one knew quite what to say next.

"Right!" The Doctor said finally. "Time for us to be going, Sadie." He bowed his head respectfully to the Princess. "Goodbye Princess Ilona."

"Goodbye Doctor," the Princess replied, throwing her arms around him and hugging tightly. "Thank you again." Princess Ilona moved to Sadie then, and hugged her tightly as well. "Goodbye Sadie. I am pleased to call both of you friends."

Goodbyes from the people of Mortuum followed the Doctor and Sadie as they went into the TARDIS. The Doctor went directly for the console, already planning the next destination. Sadie stayed to wave at the crowd one last time before closing the door. She spun around then and bounced up to the console.

"That was awesome!"

"Awesome?" The Doctor asked incredulously. "We were in danger of our skins being eaten off of us by horrible unseen creatures in the dark, and _you_ describe it as _awesome_?!"

"Yep!" The Doctor shook his head, and then grinned.

"It was, wasn't it?" Sadie nodded emphatically as he turned back to the console. "Good people there, too. I'll have to make a point to come back sometime..." He looked back up at Sadie. "I mean, we could…because, well…you're planning to stay with me…right?"

"As long as you'll have me, anyway," Sadie replied, grinning. The Doctor looked a bit relieved.

"Good!" He smiled for a minute and then turned back to the console yet again. "So, where would you like to go now?"

* * *

**Notes: As much as I liked this little story, I'm glad to see it end! I'm thinking the Doctor might go on a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas in my next story. The idea of a Pirate Doctor amuses me greatly.**


End file.
